Tuesday, October 13, 2009

NTC Day 23: Luke 1-2, 2 Cor. 1-3

2 Corinthians 2:14:15

God, through us, spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. Paul is using a bit of Old Testament imagery here. While we don't offer burnt sacrifices any more, the Old Testament spoke often of the smoke from those sacrifices rising up as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. But since Christ was the perfect sacrifice, given once for all, such sacrifices have been replaced. And the source of the aroma has been replaced as well. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing". We are "living sacrifices", as Romans says, and we are now the pleasing aroma to God if we are in Christ.

Do you feel like a "living sacrifice" most days? I know I don't. Do you feel like your life is spreading "the fragrance of the knowledge of him"? I know I often don't.

This is the uncomfortable tension that will always be there in the Christian life. The tension between what we are told is true about our Christian life versus what we feel. But the tension is a good thing. When you get comfortable, you stop pushing yourself, stop striving.

This week, recall one of Lee's points about love from Sunday's sermon, and strive to live as one who is the aroma of Christ to God and to the world.

If you want a creative way to be reminded that we are the aroma of Christ, click on this link to download "Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder" by Daniel Renstrom from iTunes. As we have sung on Sunday, it says "Righteous now is how he looks at me / Aroma of Christ to God from me / Bought with the precious blood".